86-year-old resort murder suspect found dead by police drone

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A homicide investigation is underway after shootings in Silver Lake, Washington left two dead Wednesday morning, including the apparent suicide of the alleged murder suspect, authorities said.

According to the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded at about 10:21 a.m. to the 100 Block of Lake Road in Silver Lake's Streeter's Resort on reports of a man who had been shot. Deputies then heard a report, while they were en route to the scene, that a man armed with a gun had entered a motor home parked nearby.

A position of containment was set up around the suspect's motorhome by law enforcement officials, including the sheriff's office, Castle Rock Police and Washington State Fish and Wildlife.

At the same time, first responders located the 56-year-old gunshot victim and provided aid, "but despite their best efforts, the victim was shortly thereafter pronounced deceased at the scene," the sheriff's office said in a release.

Eventually, a search warrant executed by deputies allowed law enforcement to enter the motor home of the suspect via a drone, only to later discover he was dead, too. As the release explained,

"Lower Columbia SWAT was activated and responded to the scene. A search warrant was obtained by CCSO Detectives which was served by Lower Columbia SWAT. The suspect’s motor home was breached, and a drone was flown inside the RV. A drone operator located the male suspect lying motionless inside the interior of the RV. A SWAT team element subsequently entered the RV and discovered the 86-year-old male suspect deceased of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."

The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is still ongoing and that names of the suspect and victim are not being released until next of kin are notified.